Suddenly Daddy
by Gigi13
Summary: set during s2. One of Lindsey's old girlfriends disappears and leaves him to take care of the child he never knew they had....I can't say anymore or it'll give the story away...but its worth reading :
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Joss still owns everything.

Rating: I am going to say PG but be aware that there will probably be some bad words here and there though.

A/N This is a response to the Suddenly Dad challenge at the CCS board. Also this is set after 'Dead End' except that the hand Lindsey got wasn't evil and he never left the firm. Also he and Lilah were made permanent co VPs.

A/N2: Anything you see in italics is Lindsey's thoughts.

Chapter 1

Lindsey McDonald didn't have a lot when he was a child. Infact he had close to nothing. But at the age of 27 he had it all. He was the co vice president of Wolfram and Hart, the most power law firm in this world and several others. Yes at times the job was dangerous but the perks made up for it in his eyes. He had money, a nice home, two cars, talent in music, good looks and much more.

It had been an ordinary Friday for Lindsey. He got up at quarter to seven, showered, got dressed then went to court, won a case that helped a very guilty man go free and then he went to Wolfram and Hart to do some paper work and argue with the other co vice president; Lilah Morgan. They liked to argue a lot. At was around one o'clock that day and Lindsey was on his way to lunch when a women knocked on his door for the last reason he ever expected.

"Are you Lindsey McDonald?" the women asked.

"Yes, can I help?" Lindsey responded.

"I am Delinda Carter, with Social Services." she announced. "May I come in?"

Lindsey looked confused, he didn't remember having a meeting with anyone from Social Services, he didn't even remember having a case that would involve them. "Um...yeah sure come in. I am sorry I don't remember us scheduling a meeting."

"That's because we didn't Mr. McDonald. I am not here because of a case, well not for one of your cases. Do you remember a girl named Bridget Flannigan?"

Lindsey thought for a moment, the name did sound familiar. Then it hit him, Bridget was a girl he dated briefly about five years ago. "Yeah I remember Bridget, what about her?"

"Well you see she disappeared, well more like ran away."

'_Doesn't really surprise me, she never was the stable type'_ Lindsey thought. "What does this have to do with me? Or you for that matter. If someone's looking for her then shouldn't the cops be investigating?"

"Usually yes. But I am not looking for her. You see before she took off she came into my office and left something that she claims belongs to you." Delinda told him.

Lindsey was beyond confused at this point. "Which would be what?"

"A child." she stated causing Lindsey's jaw to drop. "She came in, with the child and said that she couldn't take care of the child anymore and she gave me your name and said that you were the father and that it should be with you now. Then she just took off, leaving the child. I've tried to contact her family and they either haven't heard from her or don't want to talk to me, which is why I am here now."

"I am sorry that you had to come here and waste your time because I am not anyone's father. I haven't even spoken to Bridget in five years. She never said a word or contacted me about being pregnant." Lindsey responded.

"Five years huh?"

"Yeah that's when we broke up."

"It would fit the time frame considering the kid is a little over four and the amount of months it takes to have a baby." Delinda pointed out.

"So, just because she got pregnant around when we were dating doesn't mean that it's mine. Knowing Bridget there could be several potential guys."

"Are you willing to find out for sure?"

"What? You mean will I take a DNA test? Of course, if it'll get this whole thing straightened out. I'll take one right now."

The social worker shook her head. "I am not entirely sure that's possible. There's paper work that needs to be done and either way its Friday afternoon and the odds of getting the results back today are slim so you'd have to wait until Monday..."

Working for Wolfram and hart Lindsey knew very well that there are labs in LA that could get the tests results back within a few hours and he knew she knew it too, he also knew she wouldn't admit to it unless he made it worth her while.. He reached into his pocket and pulled out one-hundred dollars "how soon can we get the test done?" he asked.

"Right away" she answered, taking the money.

'That's what I thought' he said to himself.

A few hours later Lindsey was in the social workers office waiting for the test results to be faxed over.

"You know that even if you are this child's father you have options, you don't have to..." Delinda started to say until Lindsey cut her off.

"No. If the test says that I am this child's father then I'll take it." Lindsey said but then he realized that what said, using the word 'it' like it was a car or something didn't sound right. "Can you tell me about the child? Or at least whether it's a he or she?" he asked.

"She. Her name's Rachel. That's about as much as I can say."

Lindsey nodded. 'If I am her father what am I going to do? Guys like me aren't meant to be fathers. But I won't turn my back on her, I can't. Millions of people have kids, how hard could it really be? I have more then enough money, even though its from a job that could very well get me killed one day. Or her.'

A few seconds later the fax machine received the fax. Delinda walked over to it and looked at the paper. "Well Mr. McDonald, congratulations it looks like you're a father." she said handing him the paper. "Now I could try to get an emergency hearing in family court for the end the very end of the day, it's a long shot though this way all the paper work that would place the girl in your custody will be in order. Or, we could do that first thing Monday morning this way you could use the weekend to make any arrangements or preparations you might need considering that the addition of a child is a big alteration in someone's life. I assure you she'd be in good hands until then."

"Um...yeah...ok...I need um...arrangements... I'll take you up on...that second offer." A schocked Lindsey answered. _'Shit'_

TBC


	2. Preparations

Chapter 2

"Preparations'

"Why are you laughing?" Lindsey asked his brother/best friend Vince, the only sibling he still really had contact with.

"I am laughing because I thought I just heard you say you have a kid." Vince answered.

"I did." Lindsey said into the cell phone he called his brother on as he was driving home from the Social Services office.

"And you're positive its yours?" Vince questioned.

"Yes." Lindsey heard more laughing. "Why are you finding this so damn funny?"

"Because Lins, it's you, with a child how can I not find it funny?" Vince said jokingly, but then he got more serious. "Honestly Lins do you think you can do this?"

"I don't see why not. This girl, Rachel, she's mine. I have to take care of her. I can't just walk away."

"Ok." Vince answered understanding what Lindsey said."Look I gotta go. We'll talk soon."

"Alright," Lindsey said.

A few minutes later Lindsey was in his 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartment. He entered the second bedroom, which he had turned into an office but now he realized he'd have to make it a bedroom again. He could move the desk either into his room or the living room. The walls were painted gray so he figured he could get away with leaving them like that, but he needed furniture. Which meant shopping. Lindsey wasn't a big fan of shopping. The bedroom had its own bathroom, which he never used so it had nothing in it. He took a look around the entire place to see if there was anything else he needed this way he could get it all in one outing. Then he left and headed to his car, this time he got in his brown truck and not the blue BMW he was driving earlier. The BMW was only for work, the occasional date and any situation where he wanted to impress.

The first store Lindsey decided to hit when he got to the mall was the furniture store, better to get the big items out of the way he figured.

"Can I help you with something?" a sales lady asked him noticing the slight look of confusion he had on his face as he looked around.

"Yes I am looking for a bed....actually a whole room set."

"Ok, is it for yourself?"

"Um no... its for my daughter." Lindsey answered a bit awkwardly. 'Now there's something I wasn't expecting to say today...or ever. It doesn't sound half bad though, I could get used to it.'

The sales women lead him to the section of the store with the children's furniture. "What kind of bed are you looking for?"

'_Ah...the kind you sleep on. Is there any other kind? Does she realize that I am a guy and there for am not fully equipped with this kind of knowledge?' _

"I am not sure....what ever's good for a four year old." Lindsey said.

"This is our most popular one." The women pointed out going towards a white wood twin bed with a tall dresser and a long dresser, a nice sized chair and a matching toy box that had pink flowers painted on the top.

Lindsey didn't see anything wrong with it. "Alright, I'll take it."

"Great."

Lindsey paid for the furniture and flirted with the sales women until she moved his name up on the delivery list so it could arrive at his place over the weekend. Next stop; linens and bathroom supplies.

Words could not describe how odd Lindsey felt looking at girls bedding. Everything was so...girly. Pinks, purples, yellows and light blues surrounded him. Finally he decided on a multi colored butterfly set, he never heard of the brand but it costs $200 so he figured it can't be bad. Then hem headed over to the bathroom section of the store, eventually he came across a hand/face towel ring, toothbrush holder, cup, shower curtain, soap holder, floor matt and toilet lid over all sporting ducks on them. There was even a ruber duck on a nearby shelf. Kids like ducks, Lindsey was sure of at least that much. Lindsey took out his platinum card, which was getting a good work out that day, and headed to the check out.

Then it was on to the toy store. Lindsey only intended on buying one or two dolls and maybe a coloring book, yet somehow he ended up spending a few hundred dollars on dolls; both of the Barbie kind and non Barbie kind, doll houses, games, coloring books, crayons/markers/ finger paints (which he somehow subconsciously knew he was going to regret), a tea party set, a small table and more stuffed animals then he even knew existed.

The last stop was his trip was the book store. He picked up a large book full of different fairy takes, but mostly this store was for him. He headed to the section on parenting and picked up about 5 books on parenting, including 'Parenting For Dummies.' As he was leaving the parenting section he saw none other then his colleague and nemesis Lilah. The last he wanted want to deal with was her seeing him so he hid in the next aisle, which happened to be where the erotic books were. The fact that the erotic and parenting books were right next to each other both disturbed and made perfect sense to Lindsey.

'_Only in LA'_

Once Lindsey saw Lilah was looking at the 'Self Help' books he knew that he was in the clear because she wouldn't want to see him with her books anymore then he wanted her to see him. He was also a little surprised he always knew she was a bit paranoid but for the most part she seemed like a confident person. So we went to the cash register and paid for his books, marking the end of his shopping trip.

TBC


	3. Meeting Rachel

Chapter 3

'Meeting Rachel'

The big moment was going to happen at any second. It was Monday morning, Lindsey had just signed all the papers that would place Rachel in his custody and was now sitting in the hallway outside of the Judges chambers(where Rachel was during the hearing) waiting for her to be brought out to him. Before he knew it he saw the door open and Delinda stepped out of the chambers, followed by a little girl with dark hair who was wearing pink overalls with a purple t-shirt underneath and pink sneakers, she was clutching white teddy bear to her chest and she looked frightened. But that isn't what Lindsey saw when he looked at her. _'Annabeth. She looks just like Annabeth.'_

Annabeth was Lindsey's little sister who died when she was very young. She died of the flu in Lindsey's arms. Despite the poor conditions they lived in Annabeth was always happy, Lindsey never understood it but it was what he loved most about her. He was never the same after he lost her.

Lindsey stood up as Delinda came closer to him, Rachel was a good few feet behind her walking very slowly. "She's extremely shy and nervous." Delinda informed him. Lindsey nodded understandingly as Rachel finally reached where the two adults were.

'_Aw, the poor girl looks so scared.'_

"Rachel, this is your father, you'll be going with him now and he'll be taking care of you." Delinda said. Rachel didn't say anything, she just looked at her shoes.

"Hello Rachel." Lindsey said softly, still no response. "What's his name?" he then asked pointing to her bear and kneeling to her level. Again, no answer. Lindsey sighed.

'This is going well.'

"Can Sparkles come with me?" Rachel eventually asked in a very small voice.

"The bear?" Lindsey questioned. Before Rachel answered Delinda mouthed the words 'imaginary friend' to him, which unnerved the lawyer. "Sure...if you want...Sparkles to come." Rachel nodded. "So you want to get out of here now?" Rachel nodded again.

It was around noon when Lindsey and Rachel arrived at the apartment because they had to stop and buy Rachel some clothes since Lindsey decided over the weekend that, that was one task he wasn't going to do with out her. The outing went pretty well except for the fact that Rachel hardly spoke since she asked about Sparkles. Lindsey was starting to worry about her. "Hey, would you like to see your room?" Lindsey asked and then lead Rachel into the room located a few feet from his. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the result of Lindsey's toy store shopping spree. The rest of the room wasn't bad either. "Do you like it?" Once again, Rachel's response was a nod. "Good. I want you to like it here." there was something about the way Lindsey said that, something genuine about it, that made Rachel feel a little more comfortable as opposed to his overly-thought words he was saying all morning.

"Can I please have a drink?" Rachel suddenly asked.

'_She spoke.'_

"Of course you can." he answered heading into the kitchen and realized that one place he forgot to go to was the grocery store. The only liquids he had were tap water, expired orange-juice Pepsi, wine, beer and whisky. By process of elimination due to contamination and age appropriateness/legality Pepesi won. He took a can from the fridge, poured some into a cup and handed it to her.

"Momma says a lot of soda's are bad for you." Rachel said still using a very low voice.

'_Yet but she has no problem abandoning you...because that's fine, nothing bad about that at all.'_

"Well, sometimes its fine." Lindsey answered.

"Oh, Ok thank you."

Lindsey smiled at her as he went to go put away her clothes. It wasn't long before Rachel came back into the bedroom and sat on the bed. "I gotta peepee." she stated.

"There's a bathroom right behind that door, its just for you." Lindsey said pointing to the bathroom. Rachel hopped off the bed and entered the bathroom, that's when she yelled one of the most awful screams Lindsey had ever heard. Before he knew it Rachel had run out of the bathroom and attached herself to his leg as she sobbed. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked nervously going over to the bed and sitting both of them down.

Rachel tried to explain in between sobs. "There are...." sob. "Duckies." sob. "Everywhere." Sob. "Don't like duckies." Sob "I want duckies to go bye bye......duckies are evil..." sob "...and scary."

'_Figures.'_

"Please don't let the duckies get me?" Rachel begged as she continued to cry.

'Nice going. 4 hours with me and already I've traumatized her.'

Lindsey wasn't sure of what he should do, but he know the logic of 'those ducks aren't real and there for can't do anything to you' wasn't going to work and that he had to come up with something.

'_I gotta do something, I can't just sit here and watch her cry. Think dammit think.'_

He pulled Rachel onto his lap and started to rub her back at an effort to soothe her. "Shh...its Ok Rachel, stop crying. The ducks...won't hurt you. I'll get rid of them." As soon as he said that last sentence the crying stopped.

"Really? You can?" she question.

"Of course, right away."

In the mind of Rachel Flannigan-McDonald, anyone who can get rid of the evil creatures known as ducks must be a nifty person and that person being her new daddy just made it even better. Rachel decided to reward Lindsey with a smile, a kiss on the cheek, followed by Rachel snuggles.

'_I could definitely get used to this.'_

Later that on that night while Lindsey was giving Rachel(and Sparkles...due to Rachel's request) a bath, Rachel seemed extremely happy. The happiest she'd been all day. Lindsey decided to take advantage of her mood and see if he could get her to talk to him some more.

"So Rachel, so like baths?" he asked.

"Yeah....they're fun." She answered splashing around.

"What else do you like?"

"I like lots of things."

"Like what?"

Rachel thought for a moments "I like cartoons, Sparkles, Frosty(Lindsey had learned earlier that Frosty was her white teddy bear), candy, peanut butter, dollies, coloring, purple, puppies, and other stuff."

"What don't you like?"

Duckies!" She answered sternly "but there's also naptime, scary movies, ice cream..."

"Ice cream?" Lindsey questioned, cutting her off.

"Its very cold, too cold. And melty." Rachel answered.

'_That must be a first.'_

"I see. I think its time to get out of the tub." Lindsey said.

"Ok."

**30 minutes later**:

"Goodnight Rachel." Lindsey told Rachel as he tucked her in.

"Night daddy."

'_That's still a bit strange to here'_

Lindsey started to leave the room but then Rachel called him back.

"Come back....you forgot to say good night to Sparkles."

'_What is it with this Sparkles thing?'_

"Oh, right sorry. Goodnight Sparkles."

"Kiss her goodnight too." Rachel instructed.

"Ok" Lindsey bent down and pretended to kiss someone good night on the left of Rachel.

"She's on the other side, silly" Rachel said giggling. So Lindsey did the same thing to the right of Rachel.

"Daddy, where's mommy?" she asked suddenly.

'_I could careless.'_

"Um...I am not sure Rachel."

"Why did she leave me?"

'_Because she's stupid.'_

"I don't know that either. But I think that she thought you would be better off here with me."

"Oh. How come I wasn't with you before? Where were you?"

'_What's with all the sudden questions? And I wasn't with you because you're moms a liar....or an uninformer....and stupid.'_

I was here, see sometimes it takes a while for parents to find out they have a child."

"Are you going to leave me too?"

"No, Rachel, no. I am not. I swear."

"Good. I am glad mommy left me with you."

"Me too."

'_Me too.'_

TBC

A/N: How were the first three chapters? Up next Rachel and Sparkles meet Lilah. In the mean time, review please.


	4. Common Enemy

Chapter 4

Common Enemy

A/N: The people who reviewed:

Freezyboncoolipants: You Freezy, seriously rock! You are a very loyal reviewer and I thank you very much for that. I really do appreciate it. I am glad you like this fic as well! :)

PassionateDarkness: Thanks for reviewing. I am happy very you like it.

Imzadi: Thanks for reviewing all three chapters, I know what you meant about the social worker, but that was the point. I was trying to show how usually Lindsey can manipulate people easily (you'll find out why in this chapter.) The duck fear was actually inspired by Anya and her Bunny phobia. I am glad you like the story....and I to am a believer in the Lindsey/Fred sibling-ness(the two actors sorta look a like too if you look closely)

Purple-Enigma: That was a very nice and motivating review. Thanks. And you are most certainly right; ice cream and duckies are wicked fun.....except if you're Rachel who just can't seem to understand that. Also, I noticed you read 'Shopping Adventure'; COOL! Thanks, no one had reviewed that in like a year so it was a nice surprise.

Ok, on to the story now:

The next morning, Rachel was bored. Lindsey was getting ready for work and it was still a little to early for all the good cartoons to be on. Rachel decided to go and see just what Lindsey was up to.

"What are you doing?" she asked him walking into his bathroom. Lindsey was in the middle of shaving and the sudden sound of Rachel's voice startled him, which caused him to cut himself a little.

'_Damn.'_

"I am shaving." he answered.

"Why?" she then asked, sitting on top of the toilet seat so she could observe him better.

"Because I want to get the hair off my face."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want it there."

"Why?"

'_Was is it with the why's?'_

"Because it doesn't look good there."

"Why?"

'_I know what to do to get her to stop asking the questions.'_

"Why don't you go watch TV." He suggested, hoping it would distract the little girl.

"Don't wanna." Rachel replied. Lindsey was a very convincing person; he could sell ice to an Eskimo if he wanted, in fact he had...ok so it might've been a demon Eskimo and the ice was cursed, but still. He knew how people(and demons) worked and how to make then work for you. However, Lindsey wasn't dealing with people or demons anymore, he was dealing with a child; and this time he couldn't win. "Do girls have to do this shaving thing to their face?" Rachel then asked.

'_Some do....'_

"No. Only boys."

"Is it because they have cooties?" she questioned.

"Not all boys have cooties....I don't." Lindsey defended, a little offended.

Rachel giggled a little. "Of course you don't. You're not a boy!"

'_HEY!'_

"What am I then?"

"You're a grown-up." she said as if he was supposed to know that already, but apparently Lindsey was never informed that boys and grown ups are two very different species.

'_Ok, I can accept the cootie theory then....but wait; she sees me shaving and she think only boys do it and she doesn't think I am a boy... so then what does...oh, gees Lindsey get a grip! This isn't a demon or someone at Wolfram and Hart trying to trick you or screw you over. There's no need to over analyze the logic of a child. There's no ulterior motive. She's just curious.... its_ _kinda cute actually...'_

"Want some breakfast?" Lindsey asked her has he finished up shaving.

"Ok."

Lindsey went in to his kitchen and opened up one of the cabinets to reveal several boxes of cereal; Lindsey had a lot of cereal to be correct, not because he didn't know how to cook or because he bought a lot when he went to the store the night before because he wasn't sure what kinds Rachel would like but because he liked it. Infact, his love of cereal could probably match Jerry Seinfeld's.

"I love cereal." Rachel commented, causing Lindsey to feel an odd sense of pride.

The two ate their cereal and then it was off to Wolfram and Hart. As soon as they walked in the building Lindsey received looks from other workers. It took him almost a half hour to get up to his office because so many people stopped and asked him why there was a child practically attached to his leg. Another thing happened when they entered the building; Rachel decided to go back into her shell and became quite and nervous again (hence why she was attached to the leg.) The big office building intimidated the small child and she just didn't feel right being it that place. It felt scary to her and she wasn't even aware that she should be scared being in a place like that. Lindsey had thought about putting Rachel in the companies daycare program but he decided against it because A; he didn't trust the company daycare center, and B; after Rachel questioned him the night before on whether or not he'd leave her and seeing how sensitive and fragile she is he didn't think she'd like being dropped off somewhere for most of the day. He figured she'd spend the whole day worried that he wouldn't come back to pick her up and Lindsey still had enough of his soul to want to prevent that from happening.

When the two got to his office he started right away on his paper work, looking up every so often at Rachel who was sitting quietly on a couch coloring. It wasn't long before they were joined by someone else.

"Lindsey where is the-"Lilah Morgan started to say as she stormed in to Lindsey's office, stopping herself mid sentence however, when she saw Rachel "what the hell is that?" she then asked sharply, slightly sneering at Rachel who had decided she didn't like Lilah as soon as she came in.

"That's a child." Lindsey answered as if he was actually explaining it to a child.

"Well what's it doing here? Is she evil?" Lilah questioned staring at Rachel, who decided to go over to Lindsey's desk and be closer to him then the mean woman looking at her funny.

"She's not evil! And stop looking at her like that, you're scaring her." Lindsey said as he helped Rachel onto his chair with him.

"Who is this dada?" Rachel asked, causing Lilah's eyes to get very wide.

"Did she just call you....what the hell is going on?"

"This is Rachel, my daughter."

"Since when?" Lilah asked walking toward the desk, which caused Rachel to gasp.

"She stepped on Sparkles." Rachel cried.

"What's a Sparkles?" Lilah asked looking around.

"You stepped on her again!" Rachel hopped off the chair and went over to where Lilah was. "You want to kill her don't you!" she then accused, her voice being louder and more confident then Lindsey had ever heard in the past day.

"Huh...I..." For the first time ever Lilah Morgan was speechless and Lindsey McDonald was very amused.

'_This is fabulous.'_

"What is she talking about? She must be yours though because neither one of you make any sense." Lilah eventually said.

"Your mean! You like the duckies I bet!"

A very confused Lilah walked out of the office because she was well...very confused. Lindsey had his hand over his mouth using every ounce of self-control to keep himself from laughing.

"I don't like her." Rachel then turned to Lindsey and said.

"Me neither." he said.

'_She's so smart.'_

TBC

A/N: That's the end of this chapter. Up next Lilah gets babysitting duty. In the meantime though feel free to review. :)


	5. Coincidence

Chapter 5

Coincidence

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! They totally mean a lot. Now I know at the end of the last chapter I promised Lilah babysitting duty, but I've decided to put that off for one more chapter, sorry. I hope this'll do though( I am fairly sure at least one of you will like it) .....

Lindsey was in hell. He always knew that one day he'd somehow be punished for all the things he did at Wolfram and Hart, but he didn't expect _this. This_ was just to cruel. He didn't even know how he got himself into the situation. One minute he was enjoying his Saturday, relaxing, while Rachel was quietly playing with her toys and then WAM! The next thing he knew he was stuck watching Disney movies that were getting on his last nerve while having a tea party with Rachel, Frosty and of course Sparkles(who had recovered nicely after her near death experience.)

"More tea?" Rachel asked offering the plastic teapot to him.

"Ah...sure." Lindsey replied trying to sound as enthusiastic as he could. The corner of his eyes kept trailing over to the TV and the animated people that were singing an annoying song, he couldn't prove it but he swore the little singing teacups on the TV screen were mocking him. _'I am starting to think like her.'_

'_How'd I get myself into this? More importantly, how can I get out?'_

Luckily for Lindsey he was granted an escape at the sight of Rachel yawning. "I think its someone's nap time."

"Ok, but what am I gonna do when you're napping?" Rachel asked sweetly and rather hopefully.

Lindsey had only been doing the parent-thing for five and a half days, but already he had the rather stern 'you-know-what-I-mean' glare down.

"Fine." Rachel sighed giving in. "Even though its only nap time, could I still get a story?" she asked sweetly, causing the parental glare in his face to leave and turn into a half smile.

"I think I can allow that." Lindsey said picking her up and bringing her to her bed, then he went to a shelf and got a book a Fairy Tales that he's been reading to her at night, one different story each night. Lindsey opened the book and turned to the next story and absentmindedly started to read the title, "The Ugly Du-" thankfully he caught what he was saying and stopped before he caused what very well could've been mass hysteria.

'_Nice going. Damn, I never knew how many things involved ducks until I had to make everything a duck-free environment. Kinda ironic in a way.'_

"How about I make up a story instead?" he suggested. Rachel nodded happily. "Ok, once upon a time.....there was a prince. He was a very hansom prince. He lived a slightly dangerous life, but he was mostly happy with it. But the prince had an enemy see, it was an evil beast, a vampire with pointy hair and a big forehead. Worst of all the vampire was evil, very evil, he was heartless, and only cared about himself and didn't care at all about hurting other people."

"So you mean the vampire beast was just like that Lilah lady?"

"Yes, exactly." he answered grinning.

'_This girl really is a true genius, impeccable character judgement.'_

"But eventually, the beast claimed he was good, but he really wasn't its all an act. That's when he became enemies with the prince. He even cut off the princes very important hand." Rachel gasped at that part. "But don't worry, the um....empire gave the prince a brand new hand. But not before the beast went very evil for awhile and the beast and the prince fought over a lovely princess. The beast won the princess, but after he stopped being evil and stopped spending every waking moment being mean to the prince." Lindsey was about to try and make up some grand fairy-tale style ending but he noticed Rachel was asleep, so he didn't need too. Which was good because Lindsey had things to do. A few weeks ago he had gotten a call from his youngest sibling, she called wanting to get together. This excited Lindsey because he hadn't seen her since they were kids. She was put into foster care and eventually was adopted by two very nice people and moved to Texas. They kept in touch sometimes and even saw each other when she moved to LA about five years ago, but he hadn't heard a word from her since then. She would be coming for dinner in about three hours.

The three hours went by rather quickly considering Rachel's nap didn't last long which left Lindsey the tasks of cleaning the apartment, cooking something and entertaining Rachel all at the same time. Lindsey wanted a nap himself. Lindsey heard a knock on his door, his sister had arrived. He went to open the door and saw a shy girl with long grown hair on the other side.

"Winifred." He greeted politely.

"Hello." she responded nervously. They gave each other a small hug before she entered the apartment. "Hi there." she then said waving to Rachel.

Rachel smiled and said back. She liked this Winifred person.

"So shall we eat?" Lindsey asked after he officially introduced Winifred and Rachel. "I hope you don't mind pasta and chicken, Winifred." he added as he helped little Rachel into her booster seat.

"That sounds fine. You can call me Fred now though, everyone else does." She told him although she didn't expect him too. In Fred's earliest memories of being with her biological family, some of her them would occasionally call her Fred, but not Lindsey. No, he refused to call his sister 'Fred' when he was stuck with the name Lindsey. He knew it was a boys name too, but he still found it kinda girly. But that was an unspoken fact because Lindsey would never **admit**to being so petty.

"So what have you been doing?" Lindsey asked.

Fred hesitated for a moment. "Well, I was...away for awhile traveling. Now I am helping out...some friends with their business. What about you?"

"I am a lawyer." he simply stated. _' A lawyer who has defended evil things that you don't even know exist.'_

"Oh, good for you." Fred wasn't fond of lawyers, according to her boss there are some that try to hurt him.

The rest of the evening was pleasant. Fred walked back into the place she now called home.

"Hey, how did your night go?" Her boss, Angel asked sitting in the lobby of the Hyperion hotel, along with Cordelia Chase, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce and Charles Gunn.

"Its was nice. I might invite my brother here one day, if that would be ok. He's nice, I think you'd all get along well."

Mean while at Lindsey's:

There was still about a half hour to go before Rachel had to get ready for bed, which meant only one thing for Lindsey.

"We need to finish the tea party." Rachel said.

Sighing, Lindsey walked back over to the tea party set up and went to sit down.

"NO!" Rachel yelled, causing him to jump back up. "Sparkles is sitting there. You almost sat on her!"

It was going to be a long half hour.

TBC

A/N: Ok, next chapter will be Lilah babysitting. In the meantime feel free to review to pass the time.


	6. Watching, Leaving, Staying, Taking

Chapter 6

Watching, Leaving, Staying, Taking

A/N: Its been almost a month since I've updated! Sorry about that. But thasnks to everyone who left me reviews in the meantime.

Rachel was not having a good day. In fact, she was having a bad day, a very bad day. It all started the day before when Lindsey made her go to the evil mans office, or the 'pediatrician' as Lindsey called him but Rachel knew better, she knew he was really the evil man. But his lollipops were yummy. The doctor then told her and Lindsey that she was sick, which Rachel already knew because she told her dad she was sick and that's how she ended up there, and in order for her to feel better she need to take yucky-icky-stink liquid. Or 'medicine' as the doctor and Lindsey called it. But once again, Rachel knew better. Then, later on when she was coloring she realized she had tasted every color crayon except her yellow one. So, to be fair to the yellow crayon she tasted it and it only made her (especially her tummy) feel worse. That day, the day she went to the doctor she and Lindsey stayed home and he played with her all day, so it wasn't **that** bad. But not today. Lindsey had some important work to do at the office and since he still refused to put her in some kind of daycare (and she would be against it too) Rachel went with him. She laid on the couch in his office, using his jacket as a blanket while dozing on and off, while Lindsey was at his desk going threw some papers for a settlement case and not paying much attention to the sick Rachel. Rachel didn't like that very much but not as much as Lindsey did.

_Why didn't I just take another day off? I have plenty of them saved up. Oh yeah that's right I had to bring my sick daughter into Evil Inc., this way I can go over some negotiations so a vampire clan and a demon clan will go back to their regular routine of killing and torturing innocent people instead of each other. Aw, she looks sad. Poor sick little girl._

Lindsey decided to get up from his desk and go across the room to where Rachel was. "How are you?" he asked gently, kneeling so he was at her level.

Rachel just shrugged.

"Can I get you anything?"

Rachel shook her head solemnly.

_So I can come up with a way to please a bunch of monsters without a problem but I can't think of a way to please my own child....gee what does that say about me. _

Lindsey just stayed kneeling on the floor next to her, making funny faces until he could come up with something better.

"Am I interrupting something?" Nathan Reed, a representative for the Senior Partners asked entering Lindsey's office making somewhat of a disgusted face at the sight of one of his VP's and top lawyer entertaining a child. Lilah was right behind him, which of course only added to Rachel's bad day.

"No, sir." Lindsey responded jumping to his feet.

"Good. Have you come up with the final negotiation contract?" Nathan asked.

"Yes. I have it right here." Lindsey responded going back over to his desk and picking up some papers. Nathan followed him while Lilah stayed more towards the other end of the office.

"Don't even think of hurting Sparkles." Rachel threatened.

"I don't even know what this 'Sparkles' is you little sh-"Lilah started to respond.

"Is everything alright?" Lindsey interrupted before Lilah could finish. He receive rather fake and condescending smiles from both girls as a response. He would've intervened further, but if anyone could hold their own against Lilah, it was Rachel, which was surprising considering how sweet and quiet Rachel usually was.

"Well, you've out done yourself this time. These look spectacular." Nathan commented after reviewing Lindsey's work.

"Thank you."

"Well, I guess we should be going to the meeting, you will be attending the meeting Lindsey, right?"

"I didn't know I was needed too."

"I figure you should. Since you're the one who drew up the contract."

"Hold on." Lindsey said before exiting the office and entering the hall.

"Stacey, I need a favor." he then said to his secretary, who as of recently he's also used as a nanny sometimes. "Will you watch Rachel while I am at a meeting?"

"I would but, I am going to lunch." Stacey answered before getting up and leaving.

_First she doesn't give me all my messages, now this. She gets paid to much._

Nathan was standing in the doorway and had over heard Lindsey's request from his secretary. "How about Lilah will stay with the girl." he then suggested. Causing both Lilah and Rachel to look at each other equally horrified.

Lindsey thought about the suggestion. He really didn't want to but he had no other choice.

"I'll be in my office waiting for you." Nathan said leaving before Lindsey gave his answer.

"How bout it Lilah?" Lindsey then unwillingly asked her.

Lilah cursed under her breath. She knew she had less of a choice then Lindsey. "Fine. Bring her to my office" she muttered exiting his office.

Lindsey nodded and walked over to Rachel. "Rachel, honey, I have to go to a meeting now, so you're going to stay with Lilah for a little while."

"No. I don't like her." she whined in response.

"I know, I don't like her either but this is just the way it has to be. I'll try not to be that long Ok?" he asked her nicely.

Rachel thought, and thought, and thought some more. "Ok dada." she finally agreed. Lindsey smiled. "But, you will be coming back right?" she added, worried. Lindsey wasn't smiling anymore. He should be used to her asking that, considering she always did whenever he left, even if it was just to use the bathroom. But he wasn't. He hated hearing the fear in her voice as she asked it, he hated seeing the fear in her eyes, he hated that she still didn't trust him enough to know that it would never happen but most of all, he hated her mother for causing it all.

_There's no way that would happen, and I'd hurt you like that. I am not that crazy unlike some people. How could anyone just leave her like that? I wonder if Bridget even gives a damn about how much damage she's done to our...no, how much damage she's done to **my** child. I swear if I ever talk to her again...._

Lindsey pulled himself out of his thoughts and back to reality. He picked Rachel up and tilted her head so that she was looking him in the eyes. "Of course I'll be back. I'll be back as soon as I can be."

"Ok, good." Rachel wrapped her arms around Lindsey's neck as he picked up the pink bag she brought with her that had some toys and stuff in there and off they went.

"Oh joy, you're here." Lilah said dryly as the two entered her office. Lindsey then put Rachel down.

"Lilah, I am expecting nothing to happen to Rachel while I am gone. And should I be gone past one, I'll need to give Rachel her antibiotic...no matter how much she may protest. Its in her bag."

"Dada, if she gets really mean to Sparkles or me what should I do? Should I throw water on her to melt her like in the movie?" Rachel asked innocently and completely honestly.

This time, Lindsey didn't even try to hold back, he just bursted out laughing. Lilah however, found nothing funny about it. Rachel was facing Lindsey and so was Lilah, but Lilah was standing a little behind Rachel so Rachel didn't see when Lilah gave Lindsey the finger. Lindsey made a face. "Rachel turn that way for a minute." Lindsey instructed pointing to a wall. Rachel did as she was told and as soon as she did Lindsey made an equally inappropriate gesture to Lilah that involved his crotch. Unfortunately, Lindsey didn't realize that he had told Rachel to look at a wall with a mirror on it that allowed her to see what he did.

"What did that mean?" she asked curiously turning back around. _Oh, crap._ Lindsey's eyes went wide as he turned around said 'he'll be back' and left.

_Hopefully if I have any luck in the world she'll forget about it by the time I get back._

"So, what did that mean?" Rachel asked Lilah.

"It means your father is a moron."

"IS NOT!" Rachel argued angrily.

'Trust me, he is."

"Is not."

"Is too." Lilah retorted oh-so-maturely.

"Is not."

"Is to- what am I doing? Look I have work to do, so just don't break anything." with that, Lilah went to her desk to do some work, leaving Rachel to entertain herself. So, Rachel did entertain herself; by drawing, by drawing on the walls of Lilah's office to be exact. She enjoyed drawing on walls because a wall was much bigger then a sheet of paper so that means she could make a bigger picture. However when she decided to draw on some of the walls in Lindsey's place he didn't like that too much, not that he yelled at her or anything but because he said 'Rachel, I don't like you drawing on the walls.' But something inside Rachel told her that it was okay to draw on Lilah's walls and that Lindsey wouldn't be mad. After all, Lilah has tried to kill Sparkles and maybe if Rachel made her a nice enough picture she'd stop and leave Sparkles alone.

"What the hell are you doing!" Lilah exclaimed catching site of Rachel's artwork. Which consisted of flowers, rainbows, happy faces and other cheerful images done in cheerful colors.

"I am making you a picture."

"Well stop!" Lilah yelled as she ripped a pink crayon from Rachel's tiny hand and as she removed the crayon she ended up hitting Sparkles in the face.

Rachel wanted to cry, but she wouldn't let the mean women see her cry, so she didn't. "YOUR MEAN!" she yelled instead, using her 4-year-old voice to the fullest extent.

"Among many other things." Lilah confirms.

Rachel was going to say something back, but she got a funny feeling in her stomach. The same feeling she'd gotten a few times in the past two days, including last night while in Lindsey's bed. The next thing Lilah knew, her nice new Prada shoes and her a little of her carpet covered with Rachel throw-up.

"Oops." Rachel said, feeling guilty.

'Lindsey, you bastard.' Lilah thought as she called the janitor.

1pm:

"Alright, kid I am supposed to give you this." Lilah said to Rachel holding a teaspoon full of medicine. Rachel just sat on the chair she was sitting on with her mouth clamped shut. "Come on kid, open your mouth." That didn't work so Lilah tried to force feed it to her. In return, Rachel just spit it out. Lilah poured another spoonful. "Look girl, if you don't take this now your father is just going to make you do it when he gets back, and he'll also be mad at the both of us for you not doing it now so just take it and get it over with."

Rachel thought about Lilah had said and realized she was right. Lindsey might be mad if he got back and Rachel hadn't taken her medicine and Rachel didn't want him to be mad. Because if he did get mad then he might leave her, just like her mom did the last time she was mad and if Lindsey left her too then she would be alone. Rachel didn't like the idea of that. Even though he's told her lots of times, including a little while ago, that he wouldn't leave, she still wasn't entirely sure he meant it and she liked living with him, very much. Even if there were duckies there at first(which he had the power to get rid of.) So to be on the safe side, Rachel opened her mouth and took her medicine.

10 minutes later:

Lilah was on the phone with a client when she felt Rachel pull on her shirt. "What?" she asked.

"I gotta potty." Rachel stated.

"Wait one second and I'll be done."

"But I gotta go **now**."

"One second."

25 minutes later:

Lilah was still on the phone and Rachel was ready to burst.

"I reeeeaaaaly gotta go. I need to go peepee now!" she whined, bouncing up and down with her legs crossed on Lilah's leather desk chair.

"One more second." Lilah answered.

Rachel couldn't hold it anymore, needed to pee and so she did; right on Lilah's chair. Lilah nearly died of shock when she saw the liquid dripping from the chair to the floor, but not before hanging up on her client. "What. Did. You. Do.?" Lilah demanded.

"I went peepee...now." Rachel answered innocently.

15 minutes later:

When Lindsey returned to his office he contacted what sounded like a frustrated Lilah and told her she could bring Rachel to his office. As the two girls approached his office he noticed that Rachel was wearing the outfit that he kept in her little backpack just incase something happened to the one she was wearing. _Well, this should be good. _

"You and me, hallway, NOW!" Lilah requested as she brought Rachel into the office.

_This should be very good._

Rachel watched her father and Lilah talk from inside his office. She didn't like the very serious look that Lindsey had on his face as Lilah told him the days events. "Don't worry Lilah, Rachel will get exactly what she deserves for what she put you through." Lindsey reassured her. Rachel didn't like the sound of that. Lindsey entered the office again, still looking serious and almost angry however as soon as he closed the door and Lilah was no longer around a big smile went on his face as he picked up Rachel and gave her a big kiss. "You, Rachel, are a very good girl and very, very brilliant, did you know that?"

_This may in fact be the proudest day of my life._

Rachel shook her head 'no'. "Well, you are." he confirmed as he started to bounce her up and down in his arms, forgetting that she was ill until her 'I am-gonna-throw up-again' look re-entered her face. He tried to bring her over to a garbage can but he wasn't fast enough and before he knew it, his carpet was now sporting puke.

_Well at least its not my bed, again._

"Why don't we go home?" he suggested after he called someone to clean it up.

When they got back to the apartment it was Rachel's nap time, although she tried to fight it. But since she wasn't feeling well, Lindsey stayed in her room with her, just incase she got sicker or needed something.

"Hey, wait a minute." Rachel said on the verge of going to sleep.

"What is it?"

"I still don't know what that thingy you did to the mean Lilah lady means."

_DAMN IT!_

"Its nap time." he counter weakly.

"It means its nap time?" a confused Rachel questioned.

"No. Its nap time and should be sleeping and not asking questions. And as for what I did means, its an adult thing that I won't let you find out about until you're older." he explained.

_Like thirty-five. _

That answer was enough to satisfy Rachel because it involved Lindsey mentioning that he'd be around when she was older. Even if she wasn't 100 percent convinced it was true, it was still very nice to hear anyway. So as Lindsey began to sing to her, she peacefully fell asleep.

**Meanwhile at Wolfram and Hart:**

"I think she's becoming a real problem." Nathan Reed said to one of the Senior Partners he was talking to on the phone. "Lindsey is valuable to this place and the girl....well..." he continued to say. "No, I think he's becoming to attached, she's certainly taking up a lot of his time. .....What? No. I don't think he'd go for that." "......yes ok, yes sir. Yes, we will remove the child from him soon." With that, Nathan hung up the phone and got to work on his latest project: planning the capturing of Rachel F. McDonald.

TBC

A/N: So that's chapter 6. How was it? Reviews are a nice way of letting me know hint hint :) What will happen when Lindsey finds out what Wolfram and Hart are up too? Just wait and see in the next chapter.


	7. The Things You'll Do For A Girl

Chapter 7

The Things You'll Do For A Girl

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews. And sorry for the update wait.

Lindsey was having a rare moment of relaxation. He had gotten Rachel to bed rather easily and early and he didn't have any work to do so that left him with free time. So he pored himself a small drink as he watched football with his feet up on his coffee table. Of course in Lindsey's world those moments didn't last very long. Before he knew it there was a knock on his door. So he got up to answer it and was pleased with who was behind the door.

"Hello babe." he greeted the redheaded women.

"Hey, Lindsey." Eve replied giving her boyfriend a kiss. Since Eve was a liaison to the Senior Partners they had to be very careful about their relationship and keep it a secret. But it was worth it. "We need to talk." she went on to say.

_No good has ever come from those four words._

"Can we put it off? I kinda had something else in mind." Lindsey said.

"Lindsey." she sighed, and walking over to his sofa.

"What?" he asked as he began to kiss her. For a minute Eve forgot the reason for her visit, until she saw they weren't alone.

"We have an audience." she pointed out. Lindsey turned around to see Rachel was standing behind him making a face.

_Of course. Its like she knows. _

"That's yucky." Rachel told the adults.

_Yes, yes good. Keep thinking that way. _

Rachel was able to tell that Lindsey liked Eve, so Rachel did too. "Hiya Eve." Rachel said waving.

"Hi honey. What's a little girl like you doing being up so late?" Eve asked.

"Couldn't sleep." she replied as she sat herself in between the two adults. "Can I stay here with you two?"

"Um...sure." Lindsey told her.

"Ah, Lindsey, can I speak with you in the kitchen?"

Eve and Lindsey went into the kitchen. "Look if this is about Rachel, she'll probably fall be asleep..."

"This isn't about Rachel." Eve cut in. "Well actually, it is. But not for this."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's something you need to know. The Senior Partners aren't pleased with your new found fatherhood. They feel she's...distracting you. So they....."

"So they what?"

"They have plans....to take her from you."

As soon as Eve finished her sentence, Lindsey zoned out for a few moments while he tried to process what she said. He had heard rumors of what the Senior Partners did to family members that they take from employees. Sometimes they get kill them....but most times, especially with kids they use them to their advantage and train them, take them magics and other things that can later benefit the firm.

"I-I need to go out. Can you stay here with Rachel?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah of course."

A little while later Lindsey was storming the halls of Wolfram and Hart, heading right to Nathan Reeds office to see if he can find out anymore about when they want to do with Rachel and how they want to do it.

"What are you doing here?" Lilah asked entering the office.

"What the hell is this?!" Lindsey demanded handing Lilah the file he found which contained information about Nathan planning to 'remove' Rachel from Lindsey.

Lilah looked at the file. "I don't know a thing about this."

_Yeah sure.._

"Bullshit." He challenged.

"I swear I didn't. Is this real?" Lilah and Lindsey were used to playing each other, after all they do it just about everyday. But there was something in the tone of her voice that told Lindsey that maybe she really didn't know anything about what was going on. "If I were you, I'd be forming some grand plan right now."

"Yeah." Lindsey muttered. The papers he found didn't give him anything specific. Just some basic stuff.

"If I find out anything...I'll let you know." Lilah said.

"Why?" he questioned suspiciously.

"Why, because something tells me you're not gonna be around the office anymore which will leave me a lot of free time that I normally use to insult you and point out your many faults. " She answered in her usual cool yet snarky manner. Lindsey just nodded and walked way.

The next morning:

"How come I gots to sleep later today?" Rachel asked Lindsey as he tied her shoes.

_Because sweety a few years ago your dad decided that a nice salary and clothes were worth slowly selling his soul for, and now because of that I had to spend the last 10 hours thinking of how to get your life out of danger._

"Um...because I don't have to work today."

"Then where are we going?"

"I well.....ok kid here's the deal. We're going somewhere that will help take care you better." He tried to explain as nicely and simply as he could. Little did he know, he chose the wrong words.

"That's what mommy said before she left me." Rachel said before she broke down in tears. "Y- you're leaving me too now!"

_Oh crap!! Great. Nice work. Could I have messed this up anymore? Oh, that's right I could, I could've been Bridget. The master of screwing things up. Look at what's she's done is doing to my Rachel._

"No, no, no. Rachel listen to me." Lindsey gently demanded. "I'm NOT leaving you. I promise. I'm not. I'll never do to you. I swear on...I swear on cookies." he said, knowing in Rachel's world a cookie swear meant that you meant business.

"Yay." Rachel responded happily.

A little while later Lindsey and Rachel entered the last place Lindsey wanted to go, but the one place he had to go if he wanted Rachel to be ok. "Stay here for a moment." Lindsey instructed as he left the big area on the room they were standing in and entered a smaller office.

"I have a job for you." Lindsey said taking an envelope out of his pocket and throwing it on the desk. "There's five thousand in there, if you want more, that's fine."

"Get the hell out Lindsey." His mortal enemy -or immortal enemy really- Angel replied looking at him like he was crazy. "I'm not in the mood for games."

"This isn't a game, or trick or joke. I want to hire you." he said as he sat in one of the chairs.

"Ok fine, I'll play along. What do you want to hire me for?"

"Wolfram and Hart is out to kidnap a child..."

"We've already done the Child In Danger storyline. The least you could do is come in here with something different." Angel interrupted.

"This different."

"How?"

"Because this time the child is mine."

Angel raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "What do you take me for, Lindsey?"

_Oh, you REALLY don't want me to answer that._

"Do you think I'm Some kind of moron?"

_Well now that you mention it...._

"I'm serious Angel." Lindsey insisted.

"You don't have a child. I'd know, I just spent the last few months stalking you and occasionally trying to kill you, I think I'd know something like this."

"Well, no considering I only recently...."

"Lindsey!" A delighted Fred said entering the office and hugging Lindsey.

Both men were confused.

"You know him?" Angel asked.

"Of course. This is my brother, the one I had dinner with recently."

"You mean this is the friend you're staying with? Him? A vampire?" Lindsey said in a typical big brother voice.

"You know he's a vampire?"

"Well he should considering he works for the law firm that constantly tries to kill me." Angel informed her.

"You do?"

"Not anymore I don't."

"Yeah right."

"It's true I'm out for good. They're trying to take Rachel from me." Lindsey told Fred.

"That's terrible!" she exclaimed. "Angel, we have to help him."

That's when Angel realized that Lindsey wasn't lying. At that very moment Angel mentally cursed himself for having a soul, because if he didn't then he wouldn't be under thumb of Winifred Burkle. "Alright, we'll help." he sighed.

"Hiya, Auntie Fred," Rachel said walking into the office and hugging her favorite aunt.

Fred lifted her up. "Hey Rachel. This is my boss, Angel."

Rachel studied the new person that stood in front of her. "But Angel's a **girls** name." Rachel observed innocently. "And why does his hair stick up like that?"

Fred and Lindsey laughed while Angel looked annoyed.

_Huh, it seems like I wasted time with that DNA test. Turns out all I needed to do was get her opinions on him and Lilah and I'd have all the proof I needed that she's mine._

Rachel then asked Fred Why Angel's hair looked like it might be sticky.

_This will be a very interesting experience...._

TBC

A/N: Up next Rachel meets the rest of the team. And we'll get a little more insight into why Lindsey first took the job with Wolfram and Hart among other things. And maybe we'll even get into Rachel's mind a little. Until then, you're all more then welcome to review.


	8. Reasoning

A/N: Sorry for the long update wait. I didn't intended on it, it just happened, but all the reviews were a great read while I wrote this, so thanks! Oh yeah, for the first part of this fic, I'm switching the format and its gonna be in Rachel's POV.

* * *

Daddy is talking with Aunt Fred and that Angel man over on the other side of the room. They seem really serious. Serious is boring. Daddy's serious sometimes, especially when he's working. I can always make him un-serious though. It's fun too. But I'm not going to do that now, because I get the feeling he doesn't want me too. So I'll just sit here on this red chair with Frosty. I like Frosty, he's one of my best friends, Sparkles is my other best friend. I hear people out side now. It sounds like they're coming in here, yeah they are because the door just opened. I hope they're nice people like Aunt Fred and not mean people like that Lilah lady. The people are walking in now. One is a girl who's pretty, the other is a man with glasses and the other man has a shinny head.

"What's he doing here?" The shinny headed man asked pointing to daddy. He said it a little rudely. Daddy says its not nice to be rude, unless its to Lilah. Then its okay.

"He needs our help." The Angel-man just answered, that really is a silly name for a boy. Aunt Fred just suggested they all go in the 'office' and talk. Daddy's office is prettier, and bigger. Now all the grown ups are talking in the office. I hate it when big people talk and leave me out of it. Its no fun. Like when mommy would have lots of her friends over and I'd have no one to play with but Frosty and Sparkles. Daddy doesn't have friends over and leaves me with no one to play with. I like that very much, he's very nice to live with. Sometimes he does have Eve come over though, but she plays with me so that's good. But sometimes when Daddy thinks I'm sleeping or not looking they do the icky-kissy thing. I don't know why they do it. I asked daddy why once and he said I never had to worry about the answer cause I'll never do it. I told him I was glad I'll never do, cause kissing is yucky, and he told me I should always think like that.

Yay, all the grown ups are back. And they're looking at me. I don't know why. I don't think I did anything bad. I hope I didn't. Cause then daddy might leave me. He said he wouldn't, but you never know....mommy did.

The pretty lady with short brown hair is smiling at me and walking to where I'm sitting. "Hi, I'm Cordelia, you can call me Cordy if you'd like though," she said to me.

"Um....hi. I'm Rachel." I say a bit nervously. I'm always nervous around new people.

"Cordelia's my friend," Aunt Fred tells me, "and these are my other friends Wesley and Gunn."

They both said 'hi', and I waved.

"So _he's really_ you're brother?" Gunn asked Aunt Fred, pointing to daddy and saying it like it's a bad thing. I don't like that too much.

"Stop." Aunt Fred just said. See how nice she is? If I had a cookie, I'd give her half of it. I think I'll try to talk to the new grown ups, and I think I'll start with Cordelia.

"Do you work with my Aunt too like Mr. Angel?" I started off with.

She's smiling at me some more. I think I like her. "Yes I do. I've been working with her for a couple of months."

"Nifty." I said back. I'm bored so I'm swinging my feet back and forth. Its fun to do. "So, what do we all do now?" I ask out of boredom.

Cordelia looks like she's thinking. "Hhmm....we could go outside. Sometimes ducks come, we could feed them," she suggests.

Nnnnnnnoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"NO." Daddy just told her as I ran to him. I'm now standing behind him, he'll protect me.

"That's not the best idea." Aunt Fred told her, and she's right. See, Aunt Fred is very smart.

"No duckies." I said. "Please, please no duckies." duckies are very, very scary. They quack. And quacking is scary too, why am I the only one who seems to think so?

"Rachel doesn't like ducks," daddy just said to Aunt Fred's friends, and he's looking at that Angel guy funny.

"Why are you looking at me? I didn't suggest it." Angel just said.

I'm getting sleepy, but I don't want to take my nap. Naps aren't fun. So now I have to hide being tired. Uh oh, I just yawned, and everyone saw me. "Would you like Rachel to nap in my room?" Aunt Fred just asked daddy. This isn't good.

"Yeah, that would be great," he answered. Aaawww. This isn't good at all.

* * *

A/N: okay I'm gonna be going back to the old format of being told in the third person with Lindsey's thoughts in italics, for the rest of this chapter

* * *

After Lindsey tucked Rachel into Fred's bed, he turned around to see none other then Fred standing behind him. "We need to talked," she said grabbing his hand and taking him into the next room. "Sit."

Lindsey and his younger sister told him and sat on the bed in the room they were in. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Fred took a deep breath and sat next to her brother. "Well, I think its obvious that we lied or....twisted things when we've been talking, and of course we did because I thought you'd think I was insane if I told you the truth about my life, and you probably thought I'd think you were insane, which I would if I didn't know it could be true, but I do and...."

"Fred," he interrupted, cutting off his sisters nervous babble fest, "the point?"

"Oh right. I'm sorry I babble sometimes."

"I can tell. Its not a problem though, go on."

"Okay, I just though maybe we should clear the air...about everything."

'_Yes, please, let me tell you about all the evil things I helped do.'_

"Why don't you start first," he then suggested.

"Um.....okay. Well, I haven't been traveling like I said. I was actually in the same hell dimension for 5 years." Lindsey's head shot up and looked at Fred in shock, "yeah. It was called Pylea. But I was able to come back because Angel saved me."

"Yeah, he has a tendency to do that for women." Lindsey grumbled. "You're not dating him, right?" he then asked nervously.

"Angel's sweet, Lindsey. But no, I'm not dating him."

"Well, good. And....I-I'm sorry. About the whole Pylea thing, I'm sorry."

"Thanks. So what about you? Why did you decide to be evil?"

'_Well isn't that the $64,000 question.'_

"I don't know."

"You don't know?

"I was in collage, Holland Manners, who used to run Wolfram and Hart approached me with a job offer after I graduated. So I took it."

"Oh, so you took the job at a law firm, not knowing it was evil and then by the time you did find out, it was to late?" Fred guessed hopefully.

"No. Before I took the job, I researched the place, I knew."

"And you still took the offer?"

"I was a kid. I wanted a chance to have the money, the power...all the things I never had before....and....."

"And what? Lindsey, you can tell me the other reason why you did it."

"That's the thing Winifred I can't tell you the reason, because the reason was, there was none. After you went to live with the Burkles, they were good to you, right?"

"Yeah....they're the best."

"Exactly. Probably the type of people you want to be proud of you too, right?" he asked, Fred nodded. "See, when I took the job, no one cared, and I didn't have to care. There was no one I had to worry that I would disappoint, so I figured I should go for it. I had nothing...or no one to loose."

"Until Rachel." Fred stated.

"Yeah. Until Rachel...I can't...," just then Lindsey's cell phone went off, cutting off the rest of his sentence. "Hello," he answered.

"We've found out some information," Lilah said one the other line.

"We? What the hell Lilah, I knew you'd screw me," he snapped.

"No Lindsey, I'm with her," Eve said.

'_Nice one, Lindsey.'_

"Oh. What'd you find out?"

"Actually, its what they found out." Eve answered. "Some of the seers just discovered something that changed what the Senior Partners had originally planned for Rachel."

"Which is....?"

Lilah got back control of the phone, "at first they just wanted to remove the brat- I meant the kid from you and they'd figure out the next step then. But now its seems that the girl has some power in her. A lot of power, as her future has it, she's gonna grow up to be one hell of a witch....and I'm not even gonna point out the irony. But speaking of, you still haven't paid for my new chair."

"But don't worry Lindsey, the reading showed she was going to use her powers for good." Eve reassured him.

'_Rachel? A witch? No way. She's so....Rachel. She can't have powers. But at least she'll be on the good side....unless...." _

"So what? What the hell do they want to do?" Lindsey asked.

"The senior partners want to drain her powers and use them for themselves. And in doing this...Lindsey, it will kill Rachel." His girlfriend explained.

"Yeah and they sent some of their 'search team' to track....." Lilah's input was cut off by Lindsey dropping his cell phone after he and Fred heard a noise downstairs. When the two siblings reached the lobby they saw Gunn, Wesley, Angel and Cordy fighting off some of Wolfram and Harts search team that consisted of several types of demon species. They joined in the fight. Once they were done, Lindsey ran back upstairs to check on Rachel, that's when he discovered that the downstairs attack was just a distraction. Fred's window had been broken into, and Rachel was gone. Lindsey was pissed.

'_There's no way in hell they're getting away with this! I'll get her back.'_

TBC

* * *

A/N: Okay, one more chapter to go. What will Lindsey/Fred and co. do to get Rachel back? What will happen when Rachel/Frosty and Sparkles take on Wolfram and Hart? What will happen when a surprisesomeone suddenly returns? Wait, review and find out! 


	9. Saving Rachel

A/N: Eek! It's been a while since I updated, sorry about that. But thank you so much to those who reviewed:)

* * *

Lindsey paced around the lobby of the Hyperion. Inherently angry. "How the hell did you let this happen? I PAID you to prevent this from happening!" he screamed at Angel, his accent getting thicker as he got angrier.

"I didn't know it was a trap! I did try to help," Angel defended.

Fred stood from the place she was sitting and went over to her brother. "Lindsey, calm down. We were all fooled by the trap. Angel thought he was doing what he was supposed too."

"Yeah, or it was just another way to screw me. I can't believe I thought I could trust you."

"LINDSEY! It wasn't Angel's fault, I swear." Fred said gently.

_She's right, I that. Its not his fault. It was mine. I should've stopped them. I should've kept her safe. I need to get her back, not that I know where she is but, I need to find out. I will find out, and I'll do whatever it takes to do so._

**

* * *

**

**Meanwhile, over in an expensive lab near Wolfram and Hart:**

Rachel sat on a table, clutching her beloved Frosty T. Bear, as tight as she could. She didn't like strangers, strangers were always in her house and taking her mommy's attention away from her, so they were very bad in her eyes, and right now there were a lot of strangers around her. However, she did know one of the people in the room. Nathan Reed, or 'the big glasses man who makes daddy do lots of work', according to Rachel. He walked over to her, "when's my daddy coming?" she asked softly.

"He's not," the man answered coldly.

"Nuh uh. He's not gonna leave me, he promised."

"Lindsey's a smart man who knows what's good for him, and what's good for him is having you gone." He turned around and faced some well dressed people in white coats, "well, come on, now, time is wasting, lets dispose of this...thing, shortly." He felt someone lightly kick the back of his leg. He turned and faced Rachel.

"Sparkles did it," she replied sheepishly, and clearly lying. It was the only thing, other then crying she could think of doing, and she wasn't about to cry.

**

* * *

****Back At The Hyperion:**

Lindsey wanted to freak out. He wanted to have a break down, but there was no way he'd allow himself to do so in front of Angel, his sister or anyone else. It just wasn't going to happen. "Do you know where they might've taken her?" Cordelia asked him.

"If I did, would I be here?" he replied.

"Hey, I was just asking is all. You work for them..."

"Not anymore," he was quick to correct.

"Okay, you **worked **for them, you have no idea where they could take her?"

Lindsey shook his head, "I have an idea, I have more then one. With their resources and connections they could be in a number of places, that's the problem."

Fred stood from where she was sitting, "that's good!" she exclaimed. They all stared at her. "Well I mean, too many ideas are better then none right? All we gotta do is narrow it down."

_Huh. She's sweet and smart... yes, that must be where Rachel get' s it from._

"So what are we supposed to call around asking all the evil places if they're doing something evil to a little girl?" Gunn questioned.

The front door opened, "or you could just ask me nicely," Lilah said entering the lobby, with Eve behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Angel asked.

"Helping...believe it or not," Lilah answered, sounding slightly ashamed of herself.

"What'd you find out?" Lindsey automatically said.

"Is that asking me nicely?" Lilah taunted.

"LILAH!" Eve yelled.

"What? Just because I'm helping him out, I have to be nice? Then what's in it for me?"

"Who is she?" Fred asked Lindsey.

"Eve," he replied. Fred perked up.

"Oh, your Eve, HI, I'm Fred Lindsey's told me about you."

Eve half smiled, "so, you're Winifred. Nice to meet you. Wait a minute, Lindsey, why is your sister at Angel's?"

"I work with Angel," Fred answered.

"Really?" Lilah happily responded, "huh, so there **is **something in it for me after all."

"Where is she!" Lindsey demanded, getting angry that Rachel's problem was getting side tracked by small talk and sarcasm.

"You remember that lab we helped the firm buy out?" Lilah rhetorically asked.

_Shit. I hate irony. _

"Okay, so let's go to this lab then," Fred stated. Everyone in the room agreed that that's what they should do, so they grabbed an assortment of weapons, and head for the door. As they were about to leave, Cordelia stopped and grabbed her head. Angel put his arms around her.

"Is it a vision?" he questioned.

"Could it be anything else?" she replied in between her screams. Once the vision was over with, she broke away from Angel and stood on her own again, "well, that wasn't fun," she mused.

"What was the vision about?" Wesley asked.

"Ah...it can wait. You guys go ahead, my head hurts, I'm gonna stay behind," she replied. They all left. Once Cordelia knew they were good and gone, she ran to the phone and dialed a number. "Hey, it's me...you need to get here ASAP," she said to the person she called.

**

* * *

**

**Over At The Lab:**

Rachel was still on the table. She watched as men in long white coats prepared needles, but they weren't the regular scary needles she's used to seeing, no, these were the Super Scary needles that were hooked out to big machines. There were also several scary looking demons standing guard by the door. The door to the room opened, and Rachel did not like what she saw.

"Sorry I'm late," Lilah said walking in.

"You should be, I called you here over an hour ago!" Nathan exclaimed.

"If only everywhere in LA really did take twenty minutes." Lilah went over to Rachel, "so, is it time yet?"

"Yes, it should be."

"You know, I saw a suspicious car in the lot when I was coming in. You might want to have someone check it out."

"Go," Nathan said to the demon guards, in regards to Lilahs comment. Once they left, the doctors stuck Rachel with the first few needles and the draining of the magic began. It wasn't long though before Lindsey, Angel and everyone else, charged into the room. Rachel was very happy. However, her happiness did not last very long, because the demons came back and we dominating the fight, not to mention that the 'doctors' had more then human strength themselves.

"Separate," a forceful female voice said from the door way. Everyone one was thrown into separate parts of the room.

"Willow?" Wesley and Angel gasped in confusion and disbelief, as they stared at the Willow Rosenberg, the female behind breaking up the fight.

"Hi guys," she replied. Some of the demons tried to charge at them, but Willow stuck her left hand out, and a barrier was created. She then went over to the machines, took out a bag of blue powder from her pocket, and sprinkled it over the machine. The machine and needles disappeared.

"I like you," Rachel said looking up at the redheaded witch. "Daddy," she then called, prompting Lindsey to go over to her.

"Who exactly are you?" Lindsey asked Willow, as he examined Rachel carefully, making sure she was okay.

_Thank god she seems fine._

"I'm Willow, and I'm guessing you're Lindsey, and this little cutie is Rachel, right?"

"Why are you here?" Angel questioned.

"I called her and told her she needed to get here as fast as she could, and apparently, teleportation is pretty fast," Cordelia answered, entering the room.

"Still needing more information here," Fred stated.

"The vision I got back at the hotel, usually its of something that we have to stop, but this time it was something we had to made sure happens. And the future I saw, Rachel here is Willow's brightest wiccan protégée, so I realized I had to call her and get her here to stop these psychos." Cordelia explained.

"And just exactly who are you, Willow?" Lindsey questioned.

"Well, as of now just a witch from Sunnydale who helps my best friend save the world, who by the way Angel, Buffy says 'hi' and Xander and Spike want to know how your hair gel supply is, but according to Cordelia, I turn out to be a teacher of magics to girls who have that ability to learn magic. Which is good I guess, because I didn't have a real teacher and have destroyed quite a few bedspreads and caused some wacky mix ups as a result of teaching myself." Willow answered in two big sentences, that reminded everyone of Fred.

"Okay..." Lindsey muttered.

_What exactly am I supposed to say to that?_

Willow lifted the barrier that was holding all the Wolfram and Hart people in a holding position. "Leave," she ordered. Every one of them listen, except for Nathan.

"Eve," he said, looking right at her, "I must say I am surprised."

Lindsey handed Rachel over to Fred, "everyone, leave us to talk," he ordered. They did just that. It was now Lilah, Eve, Lindsey and Nathan in the room.

"How long has this been going on, Eve?" Nathan asked.

"A few months," she answered.

"The Senior Partners are not going to like this."

"I don't care. I want out," Eve stated, which actually surprised everyone, including Lindsey.

_She...what? She's really willing too?_

"You want to give up immortality?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, if that's what it takes, I'll do it."

"Well, well, doesn't that put the commitment pressure on you," Lilah taunted to Lindsey. Lindsey just sneered at her in response.

"I'll have the paper work sent over to your place. As for you, Lindsey..."

"As for me what?" Lindsey snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You can't do anything to me."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is. After all, whatever you do, could result in certain files regarding off-shore accounts, being sent to the Senior Partners."

"How did you...?"

Lindsey looked at Lilah, "I have sources."

"Well, I guess our business here is done."

"Almost. Eve, Lilah, give us a minute alone," Lindsey instructed. After the woman left, Lindsey violently shoved his form boss up against a wall, punched him and took out a gun from his back pocket. "If you try to kill me, sue me, whatever, I'll bury you with the files. However, if you e**ver** even think Rachel name, again? I will kill you, and that's a promise, not a threat." Having said that, Lindsey left.

"Thank's for not saying I gave you the files," Lilah whispered.

"I'm sorry, what? Can you say that a bit louder?"

"I hate you."

"Damn, you're good at flattery. So, you're really gonna stay with the firm?"

Lilah shrugged, "yeah, until my illegitimate child appears and persuades me otherwise."

Lindsey shook his head, "and I pity the unwitting male who's the accomplice," he teased as he walked away. He walked outside and listened to the conversation that was going on between his daughter, and Willow.

"Yeah I didn't like those people, like I don't like the duckies," Rachel said to her. "You made them go away. Can you make duckies go away?"

Willow shook her head, "no."

"oh," she sadly sighed. "I thought maybe you could. It would a good thing to do. Duckies are bad. They live in ponds."

Willow nodded in complete understanding, "so do frogs," she then sighed, referring to her own fear.

"Yeah, I know," Rachel sympathetically replied.

"They're scary too."

"Yeah, I know," she repeated. Frogs also happened to be on the rather long list of things Rachel was afraid of and/or disliked, but of course, they weren't nearly as high as the ducks.

"Yeah. But lots of other people like them, so I can't rid of them. I wish I could."

"Me too." Finally, Rachel and Willow had someone that knew exactly how they felt. Of course, everyone else (except Angel, who had run to the car right away because of the sun) stood around and listen in amusement, amazement, and confusement.

There was a break in the conversation, and Lindsey decided to use that to his advantage. "Look...Willow? Right?" She nodded. "Willow, I wanna thank you again, for coming and saving Rachel."

"It wasn't a problem."

Lindsey tapped Rachel's shoulder, "isn't there something you'd like to say to Willow?"

"Thank you, Willow," Rachel said.

"Just make sure you're not in a position where I have to do it again, and we're even," Willow replied with a smile.

"Oh, don't worry about that, she won't be," Lindsey insisted.

Willow nodded and then turned to Cordelia, "so, since my work here is done, wanna get some coffee before I go back, and I can fill you in on all the Sunnydale dirt? OH! I **must** tell you about Anya."

"That weird former demon Xander took to the prom?" Cordelia questioned.

"Yeah, they're in love!"

"GET OUT!"

"Believe me, this is something I'd never make up."

"I want to here about this too," Wesley said.

"Aight, you guys do that, I'm going to car and going to the hotel, that is, if Angel didn't drive off already," Gunn stated, "you coming Fred?"

"Yeah I will," she answered before going over to Lindsey and hugging him, which surprised him a bit. "I'll call you later, kay?"

"Sure. Stop by if you'd like. And thanks again for the help."

"It's no problem."

Everyone went their separate ways, which left Eve, Lindsey and Rachel. "So, I know you have your car here, but are you coming with us or are you going to your place?" he asked her.

"I need to go, sign papers and all. I might be by later." They walked Eve to her car, which was parked next to Lindsey's car, and said goodbye. After Eve pulled away, Lindsey unlocked the backseat of his car, and ushered Rachel in.

TBC

* * *

A/N: I was going to make this the last chapter and make it really long, but writing the second part of it is giving me trouble, so I've decided to break it up. Up next will be a Rachel/Lindsey chat about the day, the return of yet another person, and the conclusion to this story (there will be an epilogue too.) Until then, feel free to review. 


	10. Facing the Past, and Future

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed. So sorry for the long update wait. But here is another chapter, hope it's good:

* * *

Usually, in the aftermath of a kidnaping/attempted murder situation, ice cream would be involved in the cheering up process, but in Rachel's world, that was not welcome. Which was why there was a stop at the bakery on the way home. As they sat at their table in the bakery eating the pastry of their choice, Lindsey was deep in thought. Neither one of them had spoken about what had happened, and he knew that something should be said. He just didn't know what to say. "So, you're okay?" he eventually asked.

Rachel nodded, "the cookie's good," she answered, which once again reminded Lindsey he was talking to a child and not a Harvard Law School Grad, or someone who could remember the 90's, he was going to have to be more specific.

"Rachel, I didn't mean right now," he explained. "Well, I mean do I mean right now, but about before." Lindsey stopped and thought about what he said. It probably sounded confusing. "Okay, let me try again, I want to know how you're feel about before, but not how you were feeling before, how you are feeling now because of before...wait. I don't think that makes sense either...I'll get this straight..."

"Are you trying to ask if those scary things scared me? Or if the needles were hurty?" Rachel questioned, cutting her father off.

Lindsey sighed in deep relief. "Yes, that's what I am trying to ask."

"Then how come you didn't just say that?"

Lindsey couldn't help but laugh a little. "I guess I'm just silly like that."

"I know." Rachel agreed innocently, then went back to her cookie. Lindsey stared at her.

"Um...Rach, remember the question I was trying to ask?"

"Yeah."

Lindsey moved his eyes from side to side. He was still more used to dealing with adults then children. "Um...can you answer it, please?"

Rachel looked down and played with her cookie, which made him realize she had understood he was still waiting for an answer, but was playing dumb because she didn't want to answer.

_Wow, she's really good._

If this were a case, he'd have it in the bag. He had spent years perfecting his interrogation skills,he was well known for getting the answers he wanted from someone on the whiteness stand without even really trying. But it wasn't a case, so he had to be very careful about what he said. "Rachel, I would really like you to answer me now," he told her, making sure he didn't come off as intimidating.

"I didn't like it. It was scary," she simply answered in a small voice, "almost ducky scary."

_Almost? Either I over estimated what went on, or I've underestimated this duck fear, and something tells me it's the second one...and I'm not sure if that's good or not. _

"Anything else?"he asked.

Rachel shook her head, "no, that's all cause you came and didn't leave me. Like you promised.Can I have another cookie?"

"Sure," he agreed, not wanting to press further. Rachel was very happy.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since the Wolfram and Hart incident. Since then, almost every law firm in LA had offered Lindsey a job. He hadn't decided yet if he was going to accept one, and which he could accept. As of now, he had more than enough money so that he didn't have to worry about not working for a while, and that's exactly what he was doing. He was enjoying his time off, it gave him more time for Rachel, Eve and Fred.

One particular day had been what some might call, very boring, up until late that afternoon. Rachel was playing with her toys and Lindsey was reading the paper, when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Lindsey sprung to his feet and went to see who it was. He had been in a good mood that day, until he opened the door. "You're kidding," he bitterly mumbled as he tried to slam the door on the person, unfortunately, she fought it.

"We need to talk," Bridget insisted, still standing in the hallway. Lindsey, who had been standing in front of her making sure Rachel couldn't see, pushed his way passed her and entered the hall too, closing the door behind him. "I want Rachel back," she stated.

Lindsey laughed sarcastically, "I'm sorry, what the hell did you just say?"

"I want Rachel back," she repeated.

"And you think I'm going to agree to that, why?"

"Because she's mine."

Lindsey glared at her and shook his head, "right, of course. She's been yours these past few weeks you abandon her, I don't know how I didn't get that in the first place."

"That's not fair, you don't even know why..."

"I don't care why."

"I just couldn't take it anymore. I mean, it's hard having to take care of someone all the time. I needed a break, to get my head straight and crap," she explained.

"That's it? That's your grand excuse? Well, you haven't changed a bit."

"Shut up, Lindsey, you don't even know me, you never did."

"Oh, I know you alright, I know you lie, hide things, and oh yeah, you're willing to abandon a child in order to, what exactly, go to a spa? Spend more time with friends? Or just random things that make yourself feel good, while you don't care about Rachel."

"And you're Mr. Selfless, right? Hm, yes, that wasn't you who was more concerned with working and becoming all rich all-powering lawyer boy, then oh, I don't know, paying attention to the girl you were seeing?"

"First of all, I was twenty-two then, second of all, you and I were only together for like a month, and third of all, that doesn't have anything to do with this. You should've told me you were pregnant, or told me about her after you gave birth. This is your fault here, don't try and blame it on me."

Before Bridget could respond, the door opened and Rachel popped her head out, "what'ya doing?" she asked, looking only at Lindsey.

"Hiya, Rachel!" Bridget exclaimed, getting the little girls attention. Lindsey was clearly not liking this, and frankly, neither was Rachel. Rachel stepped into the hallway and looked up at her father, she even stood on her toes to give herself more height.

"Why is she here?" Rachel asked.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Bridget questioned.

"Your mean," the child simply answered.

"Why because I left? It was only a few weeks, Rach, its really not that long."

_What the hell is wrong with her?_

"I'm staying with daddy," Rachel went on to state.

_Got that right._

"Sorry to break it to you, but you're not," her mom responded. Rachel looked sad.

"Yes, she is!" Lindsey argued. "Rachel, go back inside, I'll be in, in one minute."

Rachel did as she was told, however, as Rachel re-entered the apartment, Bridget followed, which made Lindsey do the same. They left the door wide open.

"I have a custody order," Lindsey said.

"I'm disappointed in you, Lindsey, you should know that since I never actually singed away my rights, I still have them."

"Not to me you don't." As the argument went on, the adults voices got louder and meaner, and it upset Rachel so much she ran into her room and closed the door. "Nice going," Lindsey told Bridget.

"Me? Oh no, if anyone upset her, it was you," she argued. "Besides, she get's upset over everything," she added as if it were no big deal.

"There is no way you're taking her out of here."

"Is it working, Lindsey?"

"Is what working?"

"This. This whole caring act you've got going on, you know, the attempt to try to prove to yourself that you don't only care about money, power and yourself? Is it working?"

"It's not an act."

"Bullshit."

"I love Rachel."

"Yeah, but you love yourself just a little bit more, don't you?"

Lindsey laughed, "this coming from you? Okay, sure."

"Lindsey, do you know your door is open...oh," Eve said as she walked through the open apartment door, to find her boyfriend with a woman she's never seen before, "I see you have a guest."

"That's not exactly the five-letter word I'd use for her," he corrected.

"Now, see I don't want my daughter exposed to that kind of thing," Bridget said in mock-offense.

"Funny, you didn't give a single thought to what she might be exposed to when you left her!" Lindsey yelled back, which clued Eve in.

"So, you're Bridget," Eve huffed scowling at the woman.

"So, your Lindsey's girlfriend of the month?" she retorted.

"Girlfriend of eight months," Eve corrected.

"Well isn't that..."

"Stop!" Lindsey insisted. "Bridget, everything is fine here, so you can leave now."

"Not until I get Rachel."

Eve was fumed. "What? You can't just come back here and take her away from Lindsey! How could you even think it? It took a long time for him to get her to trust him, because of how much you abandoning her hurt her. But he did, and she loves him. And he loves her! You can't just separate them!"

"Watch me!" Bridget insisted. Lindsey stepped between the two women.

"Eve, I appreciate you defending me, but maybe it would be best if I settled this with her alone."

"There's nothing to settle Lindsey, I want her back. But if you stop arguing, I am willing to let you see her, maybe once a month or so."

"I don't think so. I am a lawyer, Bridget, you don't even want to try to fight me in court with this," Lindsey threatened.

"Yeah, but, judges are more sympathetic to mothers. You really should know that by now."

"Not when the father clearly makes sure that she doesn't deserve sympathy. Which I fully intend on doing."

"How are you gonna do that Lindsey? By pointing out that you're a self-involved workaholic, that is completely driven by the desire to be rich?"

"No, actually, I intended one pointing out that I left my job, rearranged my life to accommodate Rachel, during the time you kicked her out of yours. What if I really was the self-involved workaholic you accuse me of being? What if I never agreed to take her and she ended up in god knows what kind of foster home? What then? Did you think of that, or care? And if she ended up someplace good, there'd be no way you could get her out of the system just by showing up again. There's certainly no way you're doing that now!"

"Well, I guess we'll see about that in court," Bridget replied before storming out of the apartment.

After the door slammed, Rachel's door opened and her head popped out, "am I gonna have to leave you?" she asked, worried.

Lindsey shook his head, "no. No, not at all," he answered.

* * *

Later that night after Eve left and Rachel was put to bed, Lindsey laid in bed thinking. His conversation with Bridget made him think about his life pre and post taking Rachel in. And what he was giving up. Yes, Wolfram and Hart had it's flaws, but it gave him what he wanted since he was a kid. Power and money. He liked having that. A lot. No matter what law-firm he'd work at next, if he joined one at all, he'd never have close to what he did at W&H. The best part was that although he worked at Wolfram and Hart, he never worked for them. He wasn't their bitch. Always did things by his own terms and still managed to come out ahead. He stopped Vanessa Brewer and got a promotion. He hid Darla at his house during a time when they were looking for her, and got another promotion. Who knows what he could get now? Nathan knows he has files on him, he could probably get his job back, and a higher position and/or nice perks. And after all, he'd spent quite a lot of time working his ass of for it.

But on the other hand, there was Rachel. Shy, quite, a bit odd, but very sweet Rachel. Who adored him. The feeling was mutual. Of course, she didn't know about all the horrible things he's done. And he hadn't planned on having her find out any time soon. He wondered what she would think of him if she knew. It went beyond Wolfram and Hart. Lindsey would never give her the satisfaction of admitting it to Bridget, but she had a point. He was an awful, self obsessed boyfriend. Not just to her. Right up until Eve. And even in the beginning of their relationship he was still hung up on Darla. Now he loved her, but would it last? Or would he screw it up? Rachel was already attached to her. So screwing that relationship up would have the chain reaction of hurting Rachel. From then on, everything he did had that risk.

'_Can I do this and not screw up?'_ he asked himself.

Lindsey sighed and took one last long thought about what he was about to do. There was no going back or changing his mind once it was done. It was what had to be done, better for everyone all around. He rolled over, picked up his phone and dialed a familiar number. "Yeah, Lilah, I know what time it is, but I need another favor," he demanded.

TBC

* * *

A/N: What is the favor? Well, the ending is coming up directly next. I am not going to wait between posting. I think I've not updated long enough. Review, read on, enjoy. 


	11. Epilog

A/N: Now, without prolonging it anymore, here is the end of the story:

* * *

Lindsey McDonald, the sole head of the Special Projects Department of Wolfram and Hart, sat at his desk, bored, one afternoon. There was still some work to be done, but he just didn't feel like doing it. He looked over at his clock, it wasn't yet time for his important appointment. Spinning his pen around, followed by taking a bathroom break was how he passed the time. "Mr. McDonald, your three o'clock is here," his secretary announced. Lindsey okayed it, and the person he was waiting for came running in, sobbing, which disturbed him. 

"What's wrong?" he asked worried, as he picked up the now six year old Rachel. She didn't answer, just continued crying. "Where's your mother?"

"I'm here Lindsey," Eve sighed entering the office.

Rachel decided to explain her troubles. "On the way home," a pause for crying, "there were," more crying, "ducks crossing the street," even more crying, "in front of the car. A lot of them. For a long time."

Lindsey bit his lower lip, to prevent himself from laughing. Of course he didn't enjoy her being scared, but he couldn't help but continue to be amused that such a nonaggressive animal, well bird really, could frighten her so much. "It's okay... they're gone now," he soothed.

"Promise?" she sniffed.

"Of course I do," he assured her. "So... how was school?" he asked, trying to change the subject and get her mind off it.

She wiped tears from her eyes, slightly used the collar of her father's shirt as a tissue, and shrugged. "Okay. How is working?"

"Boring."

"Like bedtime?"

"Yeah," he laughed.

She motioned to be put down, he complied. She went over to Eve who was holding her pink backpack and dug threw it until she came across a piece of construction paper. "Here, I made this for you," she said handing him the paper.

Lindsey examined it, and the design done in paint, trying to figure out just what it was. "It's nice," he smiled, "thank you."

"Do you think it looks like you? Did I do a good job?" she asked hopefully.

"It looks exactly like me. You did a great job. Thank you," he lied, but it was for a good cause. She was proud of herself, and he was happy to discover he was the subject of her work... however bad it may be.

"Lindsey, I..." Angel said, entering the office before taking notice of the two females. "Hello, Eve, Rachel," he then said. They waved. "Anyway, do you have the file I.."

"Harmony came and got it before," Lindsey interrupted. At times, it was still hard to believe that after he asked Lilah to get him a speedy custody trail, in which he won, he ended up taking a job at Angel Investigations...after much convincing from Fred of course. It was even harder to believe they ended up taking over Wolfram and Hart, giving him the position he was after in the first place. Only this time, he was doing good.

Angel sighed, and was annoyed. "Why did you give it to her? She never tells me these things, and frequently loses what she 'picks up' for me," he complained.

"I know," Lindsey smiled, enjoying Angel's pain. Angel scowled. "Hey, it's not my problem that you won't fire her." Just because they worked together didn't mean they were best friends, or stopped hassling one another to an extent.

"Can I fire you?" Angel questioned

"Fred won't allow it. Or she'd quit running the science lab if you did."

"Damn," he muttered.

Lindsey's mouth dropped and pointed at Rachel, "Angel, please, little ears," he taunted, succeeding in furthering frustrating his 'boss'.

"It's okay, daddy," Rachel said, "after all, last night, when I couldn't sleep I heard you and mommy making funny sounds talking loudly in your room and you yelled-"

"Don't you have homework?" Lindsey interrupted before his child could finish his sentence, and mentally kicking himself for her him say... well... what he said. It certainly wasn't for a child's ears. Eve was mortified herself.

Now it was Angel's turn to taunt, "tisk, tisk, Lindsey, tisk, tisk," he wagged an index finger at him.

"At least I can-" thankfully, Lindsey stopped himself, "say... what I said to Eve... and not be... mad at her after."

"Rachel, sweety, why don't we leave daddy and Angel to... work?" Eve suggested.

Rachel sighed, "do I have to?" she asked, "I haven't seen him all day, cause school is long."

Lindsey knew how she felt, he agreed six hours, five days a week was too long, he often wondered if there was something he could do to change that, but Eve always told him no. "I should be home in an hour," he promised.

"Fine, I'll play with Sparkles until you do," she stated. Her and Eve left.

Angel turned to Lindsey, "have you ever been able to find out just what Sparkles is?" he asked, curiously.

Lindsey shook his head, "not a clue. Biggest mystery ever."

"Maybe we should hire... he/she/it... as a spy," Angel snorted.

"Oh Sparkles is a girl, I do know that much, nothing else though. She'd probably do a better job then some on staff."

Both men went silent and stared at each other. "That conversation didn't just take place," Angel said.

"What conversation?" Lindsey replied.

"Right, good." Angel left.

Lindsey went back to his desk, finished the rest of his work and went home, completely satisfied. It was good to be him,now he **really**did have it all.

Finished.

* * *

A/N: It's done! That is all. Thank you all for following this story. I hope it was worth it. Please feel free to leave reviews and tell me. 


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